Flower Girl
by Irish Rose1
Summary: Lois and Clark have a special lunch date and he has something to tell her. What could it be? 2 of 3.


"Lois, is it just me or has he been bringing you flowers every day for the last month?"

She looked up to see the knowing look on Oliver's face and wanted nothing more than to smack it off. Since she and Clark had made up, Ollie seemed to have decided to take the credit for their argument being so short-lived and for her finally being in the know about everything related to Clark, him and Green Arrow.

"It hasn't been every day Ollie." She looked him in the eye and then glanced away. "It's been every _other_ day."

Her reluctant admission got him to laugh. "He really cares about you."

"I know." She nodded, but she wasn't about to tell her ex how _much_ Clark cared.

"It's none of my business and you can tell me so, but how do you feel about _him_?" He looked genuinely curious and that made her want to frown. Was he _really_ asking about her personal life?

"You're right, it's none of your business." She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Fair enough." And he started to walk away from her desk before he stopped and turned around. "But you know something? I think you really care about him too."

Her eyebrow went up even higher and she gave him a pointed stare, which only made him laugh again and turn back for his office, not saying anything else.

Of all people to be asking her about her love life, it _would_ have to be him.

Lois turned her attention back to her story and had barely typed a line when she was interrupted again, but this time smiled because she didn't mind.

"What are you working on?" Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of his husky voice near her ear and felt his chin rest on her shoulder as his hands came to rest on the edge of her desk.

"Nothing special." She replied as she leaned away from him enough to get a hand on one cheek while she kissed the other. He then leaned forward and caught her lips in a soft kiss.

"Are you free for lunch?"

Lois couldn't help but smile; knowing what his reaction would be when she asked suggestively. "What did you have in mind?"

"Something different from what _you_ do, apparently." He glanced down at her lips. "But I've been digging irrigation ditches all morning and I'm hungry."

"So am I." She grinned at him and watched his face flush and then laughed before she kissed his cheek again. "You're cute when you blush."

"Well what do you expect?" His head dipped bashfully and his voice was low. "It's not like I don't think about it."

"I'm sorry." Lois was contrite for teasing him and kept her hand on his cheek, caressing it reassuringly. "I know we've already talked about that and I didn't meant to make it more difficult."

And he surprised her with a wide smile as he put his hand over hers and turned his face to kiss her palm. "That's all right. It's kind of nice to know that you think about that too, with me."

"More than you know." She felt her face flush as she planted a quick kiss on his lips. "So where are you taking me for lunch?"

His eyes seemed to sparkle with a well kept secret that he was about to reveal and he smiled again. "It's a little out of the way spot I found that has a great view of the city." And he held out his hand. "So if you want to save what you've written, we can get going. Besides, there's something that I'd like to talk to you about."

"What is it?" She asked him as she saved her story and then stood up.

"I'll tell you when we get there." He promised her. "Just be patient."

"Smallville, you _do_ realize who you're talking to, don't you?" Lois felt the need to remind him.

"I know Lois." Clark nodded seriously and then grinned as he took her hand. "Come on."

As he walked her out of the bullpen and toward the elevator, she frowned in curiosity. "Clark? Where _are_ we going?"

"The roof." He chuckled as the doors opened and they waited for the occupants to step out. When the car was empty, he put a hand on her back to nudge her on and pushed the button to close the doors as someone approached.

"Clark!" Lois was surprised that he hadn't waited, it wasn't like him to be so inconsiderate.

"Shh." He admonished as he took her hand. Lois looked up to ask why and he smiled at her, shaking his head. As the elevator began to move up, she slowly realized that Clark was maneuvering her into the corner and she smiled at him.

"The roof was just a diversion, wasn't it?"

"Well, I can see that there's only one way that I'll get you to stop talking until we get up there." He remarked as he let go of her hand. He turned so that he blocked her body with his and then took her face in his hands just before he kissed her.

And even though he _was_ being gentle, he was also being very insistent that she kiss him back and he pressed his body into hers to help plead his case.

Clark never insisted on anything, except when it came to her it seemed. And the feel of his warm lips caressing hers and his strong hands moving from her face down to her waist to pull her close were _very_ insistent and Lois got her arms around his neck to kiss him back.

_Was it possible for a girl's knees to melt? _

"Lois." He whispered before he kissed her again and she felt her eyes tear.

It scared her sometimes, how much he loved her and how much she loved him. She'd never known anyone as completely as she knew Clark or felt such privilege at that knowledge. He'd let her in on his deepest secrets and trusted her to keep them.

She started in surprise when she felt his lips brush across her cheek and start to track down her neck as the back of her blouse was pulled out of her skirt. He was making his intentions abundantly clear and Lois's knees started to give when his warm fingers found her back. The feather light touch against her skin sent a shock wave up her spine and she arched into him.

"Lois." He whispered again before his lips found hers. There was a yearning in his voice she'd never heard before and got the sense that they were teetering on the edge of something they might not be able to back away from.

There was also a feeling that he was holding back a passion she knew was there and the truth of it was, she didn't really want him to. But the last thing she wanted was for their first time to be in, of all places, an elevator because it was exactly where they seemed to be headed and she reluctantly made him stop.

"Clark, not here." She broke their kiss to whisper in his ear. "Honey, please."

He nodded and held her close before he laughed softly. "You called me honey."

"You have a problem with that?" She smiled and put her head on his shoulder.

"You're not going to make a habit of it, are you?" His hand came from under her blouse and softly skimmed her back, which seemed to calm his rapid heartbeat and hers, and Lois smiled because she knew he was tossing her own words back at her.

"Now why would I do that?"

"I don't know." He laughed again. "Maybe because you love me?"

"You're sure about that?" Lois teased him because she knew he would understand.

"I'm positive." His body moved against hers as he sighed. "And you are too."

"I am." She nodded and gave him a gentle push as she felt the elevator slow. "Now out." She glanced up at him and saw a contented smile and a flushed face as she tucked her blouse back in just as the doors opened. "And just so you know, we're taking the stairs on the way down."

"Whatever you say." Clark reached for her hand, knowing that he didn't really believe they would. He walked her out of the elevator, toward the last set of stairs that would take them to the roof and opened the door.

She walked out ahead of him and frowned in confusion. "Smallville, I thought we were having lunch."

"Just keep walking." Lois heard his amused voice behind her. "You really _are_ impatient."

"And you're just now figuring that out?" She couldn't help but shake her head. "You're a little slow on the uptake aren't you?"

"Sarcasm doesn't become you, Lois." His hands came to rest on her shoulders and kept moving her forward. As Clark steered her closer to the edge of the roof, Lois got the strangest sensation of deja vu and at first, she couldn't figure out why. But then a snippet of a memory, or at least that's what she thought it was came to her in a rush.

'_Wow. This is a beautiful detour but, uh, what are we doing up here?' Why had he brought her to the roof? _

'_That's Oliver's balcony over there, isn't it?' It was more a statement than a question and Lois couldn't figure out what Clark was looking at._

'_What? That tiny speck under the clock tower?" She asked him as he suddenly hopped up on the ledge of the building. He stood up and faced into the evening breeze, not saying anything to her. _

'_Clark, this isn't funny. You can come back down now.' Lois pleaded with him as she nervously twisted her hands in front of her, afraid that he might lose his balance. And he worried her even further when he turned back around and crouched down in front of her, with a confident smile on his face. _

'_Or you could come up here with me.' He didn't seem to have any such worry as he reached down for her and pulled her up bodily to stand next to him. _

"We've been up here before." She looked across the Metropolis skyline, zeroing in on the clock tower.

"You remember that?" He sounded surprised and maybe a little pleased, which made Lois smile.

"I didn't until just now." She told him and glanced back over her shoulder. "I don't suppose I need to ask how we got to Ollie's penthouse?"

"We jumped." His face flushed, as though he didn't expect her to believe him. "Well, _I_ jumped."

"How?" She turned to face him.

"Red Kryptonite."

"I thought you said it lowers your inhibitions." Lois wasn't quite sure she understood.

"It does, which makes me more confident. I feel like I can do things that ordinarily wouldn't be possible." He shrugged and his frown got Lois to put her arms around his neck.

"So you have the ability to make these leaps, but you're too afraid to."

His flush deepened and she felt his arms move around her waist. "Fear of heights, remember?"

"_You_ do, but _he_ obviously doesn't." She cocked her head and looked him in the eye. "It _is_ Kal-El we're talking about, isn't it?"

"Lois, I may have been _born_ Kal-El, but I've always _felt_ like Clark Kent."

She fingered the hair at the back of his neck and smiled at him. "Well I like how Clark Kent feels."

"You do." He grinned at her and she felt his light touch across her back. "I like the way Lois Lane feels too."

"As you should." Lois leaned up to kiss his cheek and got the sense that he didn't want to talk about it any more. So she decided to drop the subject, for the time being. "All right Smallville, I've seen the view of the city but I haven't seen lunch. What about that?"

"If you'll look to your left, lunch is ready and waiting for you." He indicated a secluded corner of the roof and stepped away from her.

A table for two was set up with paper plates; a stack of napkins and a pizza box from Gino's sitting in the middle.

"It better have everything on it." She patted his cheek.

"I knew I'd be taking my life in my hands if it didn't." He turned her toward the table and steered her to her chair. He held it for her and Lois noted unnecessarily how much of a gentleman he was.

He may have been born on a different planet, but he was very much Jonathan and Martha Kent's son and she silently thanked the both of them for that.

"I hope you got something to wash this masterpiece down with." Lois looked over at him with a smile as she opened the box and inhaled appreciatively.

"Of course." He rolled his eyes with a smile of his own and brought two large sodas from under the table. "What kind of a lunch date would this be if I forgot drinks?"

"One where you'd be eating by yourself." She teased him as she gingerly pulled a slice out of the box and set it on her plate. "So what inspired this alfresco lunch date anyway?"

She asked him just before she took a bite of her pizza and sighed in contentment because it tasted so good. She didn't know why, but she glanced up at Clark and he was shaking his head in amusement. "I thought _I_ was the only thing that could get you to sigh like that."

"Pizza doesn't even compare to you, Clark." She winked at him. "But I think you already knew that."

"That was a backhanded compliment, but I'll take it." He laughed softly. "The reason I decided to bring you up here was that I thought it was the right place to tell you something."

"Tell me what?" She put the slice down and grabbed a napkin to wipe her hands with.

"Do you remember the application you gave me for the _Daily Planet _internship?"

Lois nodded. "I also remember you said that it would never happen. The biggest reason was that you didn't want to work for Lex."

"And I didn't." He was serious. "But with Oliver in control of the _Planet_, I didn't have an excuse not to think about it."

"Clark, what exactly are you saying?"

"You know that it doesn't take long for me to get the chores done and because of that, I spend a lot of time here with you."

"I'm not complaining." She reached over and took his hand and he grasped it firmly.

"You used to tell me that I should get out and see the world, but I'm happy being _here_. I'm happy that you're in my life and I don't want to give that up. So I decided that since I'm going to stay, it was time that I moved beyond the farm.

"I didn't want to say anything in case it didn't work out, but I submitted my application to see what kind of a job I could get."

Lois was surprised to say the least because she thought his working at the _Planet_ was a long dead issue. "So, where you going to be starting, down in the mailroom?"

"I'm going to be a little closer to home." He smiled softly at her. "It looks like we're going to be neighbors, Lane."

_He was going to be working in the bullpen? _

"Really."

"Don't look so happy about it Lois." Clark grinned. "It's not like we're going to be partners."

"Clark, when's the last time you wrote a story? For the _Torch_?"

"I doubt I'll be writing a story on my first day." He looked pointedly at her. "The truth is, I don't know exactly _what_ I'll be doing."

"What about the farm?" He wasn't just going to abandon it, _was_ he?

"I'll still take care of it for now. I've been talking to Mom about it and she thinks the internship is a good idea and when she comes home in January, she said that she could hire someone to help out so I don't have to do both if I don't want to."

"You really want to do this." She squeezed his hand.

"What better way to see something of the world then by working at _The Daily Planet_?" His look turned hesitant. "So what do you think?"

"Well, this _was_ my idea and if it's what you want to do, then I'm behind you." Lois smiled reassuringly at him.

"How far behind?" He joked even as he looked at her. "You're really okay with this?"

"Just stay out of my way and I'm very okay with it."

"Deal." He grasped the hand he held. "Now let's finish this pizza before it gets cold."

"Deal."

~*~

After a whirlwind cleanup when they were done eating, they were back in the elevator and headed back down to the basement. Lois wasn't sure if she was disappointed or not when he kept his hands to himself and kept the ride very uneventful.

Mrs. Kent had told her once that there were many sides to Clark and the more deeply involved they got, Lois was seeing just how true that was.

She had always known how kind and caring he was; he got that from his parents. His compassion for others was commendable and his loyalty unwavering. He was so much smarter then he let on and it was why she used to think of him as a dorky farm boy.

But it was his passion that startled her sometimes because to look at him, he didn't seem the type of guy who could turn a girl's knees to butter with a kiss or a gentle caress. But Clark Kent seemed to know just what to do to accomplish that and without realizing that he knew how.

Of course, it could just be the simple fact that he loved her and in loving her, he wanted to show her how much. And knowing that she loved him in return, made it that much easier.

And in knowing that, he was always mindful of not letting things get out of hand when they were at home because the temptation was too great to give in to what they felt. Maybe that's why they tended to take more risks when they were away from the farm because they knew they wouldn't.

After their ride up in the elevator though, she wasn't so sure they could even do _that_ again.

As much as she thought about it and knowing how he thought about it too, they also knew it was something they weren't ready for.

To cross that last intimacy threshold with each other was something that would irrevocably change their relationship and Lois was uncertain _how_ it would change.

Clark's greatest fear was that he might hurt her because he wasn't sure if he could control his strength. She'd reasoned with him that she wasn't worried because he'd never hurt her before and that when their time finally came, he just had to remember that he was a man. Nothing more and nothing less and not to think about anything beyond that.

What concerned _her_ was that once they finally did make love, would he feel the need to do the honorable thing and propose? Or would it be something that didn't live up to each of their expectations and they came out of the experience disappointed and disillusioned.

Of course, what if it turned out to be the most wonderful and fulfilling experience of her life?

It was a moot point though because she wasn't ready and Clark wasn't either. They both learned the hard way from their relationships with Ollie and Lana, that with physical intimacy came a whole new set of feelings to deal with and they were still trying to deal with the feelings they had for each other at the moment.

And the truth of it was, they had plenty of time and there wasn't any reason to rush into anything.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Lois heard Clark's gentle voice and felt his warm hand close around hers.

"I was weighing the pros and cons of our sleeping together." She glanced up at him and saw a startled look cross his face.

"I thought we decided that we weren't ready." He reminded her softly.

"After what happened in the elevator, I thought maybe you'd changed your mind." She glanced at him again and felt her face heat self-consciously.

"I'm sorry for putting you in that position." He squeezed her hand. "I only meant to kiss you, I didn't plan on the rest of it. I just seemed to go on instinct because you seemed to like what I was doing."

"I did and I'm not blaming you for what happened." Lois tried to reassure him. "But sometimes I wonder if we aren't being too careful around each other when we're at home. It's like this pent up, I don't know, frustration builds to a point that we get reckless."

"Lois, I don't want our first time to be reckless or because we need to release some frustration." Clark sighed and brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them. "And sure as heck not in an elevator." He shook his head with a frown and got his arms around her. "I want it to be when we're both ready and I want it to be romantic and memorable and not something that we regret."

"Me either." She put her arms around his waist and rest her cheek against his heart, the sound of it sure and strong. The steady beat was reassuring and made her feel safe. "That's what a wedding night used to be for."

She felt his chest move in silent laughter and Lois knew what was coming. "You didn't just propose, did you?"

"In your dreams, Smallville." She smiled and felt his arms pull her closer against him. "If anyone in this relationship is going to propose, it's going to be _you_."

"I'll remember that." He kissed her hair and Lois snuggled closer. "Are you giving me a deadline to do this?"

_Smart-ass. _

"Only when you feel that you can't live without me." She joked.

"Then I guess that proposal is overdue, isn't it?" He said quietly after a long moment. "Because I don't think I _can_ live without you."

Without any warning, she felt the first tear roll out of the corner of her eye. She hadn't expected to hear that and the meaning in his words touched her heart. A tear leaked out from the other eye and Lois knew it was just a matter of time before she would start blubbering like a baby. _Great!_

"Honey, I didn't mean to make you cry." Clark began to rub her back to try and calm her and all she could manage was a nod, to try and let him know she knew that. "I'll take it back, if you want me to."

Lois shook her head vehemently because there was no way in hell she was going to let him take that back. Not even to get her to stop crying.

"You just want me to hold you?"

She nodded.

"I can do that." He dropped another kiss in her hair and held her as the elevator slowly descended to the basement.

By the time they'd reached their destination, Lois had pulled herself together. As the elevator doors opened, she and Clark were standing side by side, as though they'd been that way the entire time. When they stepped off, she saw Ollie in the doorway of the bullpen, almost as though he was waiting for them.

"Well Clark, it looks as though you'll be joining the _Daily Planet _bright and early Monday morning." He smiled at them. "How does Lois feel about that?"

"Lois feels just fine." She glared at him, not appreciating the fact he was directing the question to Clark. "Not that it should matter to you."

"Of course it matters. Because as one of the more seasoned reporters down here, I think it's only fair that you give Kent here the benefit of your experience."

"You're making us partners?"

"Technically, no." He was enjoying himself _way_ too much for her liking. "Call it an experiment. I just thought it would be interesting to see how well the two of you can work together in light of the fact that you live together."

"We're not _living_ together." Lois glanced around, noting the curious looks and knowing smiles from her co-workers. "We're sharing a house."

"Yeah, you're living together." His grin was insufferable and she began to fume.

"Ollie."

"Come on Lois, lighten up. You _are_ living with a Boy Scout after all, and I wouldn't expect him to be anything less than a gentleman." He needled her further before he turned his attention to her boyfriend. "You _are _being a gentleman, aren't you Clark?"

"Ollie!" _This was ridiculous._

"I'm going to head back to Smallville." Clark's voice was close to her ear, trying to calm her down. "Walk me upstairs?"

"Fine." She frowned at Ollie as she felt Clark take her hand and tug her gently toward the stairs.

"He's not trying to embarrass you; you know that."

"He could have fooled me."

"He cares about you Lois, and just wants what's best for you." He led her up the stairs and stopped at the landing. "It may not look like it to you, but he _is_ happy for us. Why do you think he enjoys giving us such a bad time?"

"Because he's a jerk?"

"Lois." He gave her a quick kiss. "Let me know when you're ready to come home and I'll get dinner started."

"If I don't end up in jail for murder first." She glanced down the stairs toward the bullpen.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't." He kept a hold of her hand and he tilted his head to catch her eye. "I really don't want to go back to sleeping in the house by myself."

That got her to roll her eyes and she reluctantly smiled. "I wouldn't want to do that to you, so I'll refrain from killing my boss."

"Thank you." He smiled back at her and moved toward the door, but she wasn't ready to let him go yet. "What is it?"

"Did you mean what you said about not being able to live without me?" Lois wasn't sure why she was asking because she didn't doubt him or his words.

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't." His direct gaze reaffirmed it.

"You love me that much."

"I love you so much more than that." Clark stepped close and backed her into the corner of the landing. "Lois, you know that what I feel for you is something I've never felt for anyone else and I know it scares you.

"And I know that what you feel for me is something you've never felt for anyone and that scares me too. But that love we share makes us stronger together than apart and that's what I mean about not being able to live without you."

"You are so sweet." She put a hand on his cheek and felt her eyes tear.

"I'm making you cry again." He frowned as he reached up to cover her hand with his and tried to give her some privacy from the curious eyes of the basement staff with the shelter of his body. "I don't mean to do that."

Lois shook her head and took a deep breath. "I've just never met anyone like you."

"You can blame my parents for that; _and_ growing up in Kansas." He brushed at some errant tears that she hadn't been aware of. "I've never met anyone like you either and I don't like to think where I'd be if I hadn't."

"Then don't." She took another deep breath. "I guess in a weird way, we can thank Chloe for this and even Jor-El. Because if I hadn't come to Smallville to investigate her death and you hadn't been sent back when you were, we never would have met."

"I never really thought about it that way." He mused. "I guess I really _should_ thank him for that."

"And I'll thank you for going now, because I need to get back to work." Lois gave his chest a gentle push. She really didn't want to send him away, but it wasn't as though she wouldn't see him later. "Otherwise Ollie will never let me hear the end of it."

"I'll see you at home then." Clark smiled at her and gave her a soft kiss before he let her go. "Don't be too hard on him."

"Isn't it time for the afternoon milking?" She folded her arms across her chest, purposely ignoring the comment.

"I'm going." He got as far as the door and glanced over his shoulder at her. "I love you."

"I love you too, now go." She indicated the door and he nodded before he opened it and walked through, leaving her alone on the landing.

It _did_ scare her sometimes how much he loved her, but with that fear it did give her strength as he said it did for him. Love had always made her feel weak before and she understood now that it was because she wasn't with the right man.

And that's what it was all about, wasn't it?


End file.
